Difference Between a Dubai Restaurant License and a Cafeteria License (2026 Guide)

Not really. The general idea is the same everywhere — small, quick-service food outlets — but each emirate has its own way of classifying, approving, and inspecting them. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah all follow national food-safety rules, but the paperwork flow and small details shift from place to place. So the license looks similar on paper, but the route to getting it isn’t identical.

Yes, but only in a limited way. Sharjah cafeterias can offer a few seats. Think small. Quick turnover. Not the kind of dine-in experience you’d get in a full restaurant. If you try to stretch the space into something bigger, the inspectors will notice.

The ADDED handles the business license. The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority handles food approvals. Two doors. One business. They work together behind the scenes, but you still deal with both.

The core rules are the same. The internal processes are not. Dubai pushes most approvals through Dubai Municipality. Abu Dhabi routes them through ADAFSA. Sharjah uses Sharjah Municipality. All three test you on layouts, exhaust, hygiene, and how you store anything edible. Same standards. Different desks.

Yes. It happens often. You’ll need a bigger space, updated drawings, kitchen changes, and another round of approvals. Think of it as moving from a bicycle to a car. Same direction. Different engineering.

Not dramatic, but noticeable. Dubai tends to be slightly more expensive, mainly because of rent, location competition, and higher fit-out expectations. Abu Dhabi is steadier. Either way, the biggest cost killer isn’t the license – it’s the space.

Dubai Free Zones move fast. Mainland Dubai and Abu Dhabi take a bit longer because there are more inspections. Sharjah sits somewhere in the middle. But speed isn’t everything. A fast approval doesn’t save you if your site drawings get rejected twice.

Yes. Full foreign ownership is allowed in all three emirates for these activities. No sponsor required. People still ask this question because old rules linger in memory.

Yes. No one will let you cook legally without approved drawings. The layout is the first thing every authority looks at. Because if the kitchen is wrong, everything else will go wrong too.

Slightly. The idea is the same everywhere, delivery-only operations, but Dubai has a more mature cloud-kitchen ecosystem with stricter fire, exhaust, and zoning checks. Abu Dhabi is catching up fast, though. Sharjah keeps it simpler but still firm on hygiene.

Cafeteria. Always. Less space, fewer requirements, smaller fit-out, lighter inspections. Restaurants cost more because they expect a full kitchen, proper dining, more staff, and a more complex layout.

Yes, but only in a small way. A few tables. Quick seating. Nothing resembling a full dining area. As soon as it becomes a big sit-down operation, the license category stops matching your reality.

Yes. Dubai Municipality sits at the core of anything related to kitchens, food, exhaust, ventilation, and structural safety. Even if your business license comes through DED or a free zone, DM still has the final say on food activity.

Yes. People do it all the time as their business grows. Expect new drawings, new approvals, and usually a bigger space. It’s an upgrade, not a tweak.

If you serve anything cooked, reheated, or fried, the authorities expect proper ventilation, grease traps, chimney height, and kitchen compliance. Technically it’s not a separate “approval,” but your layout must reflect it. Otherwise the inspectors will stop you right there.

Yes. Many do, because it adds an extra revenue stream. As long as your kitchen meets the standard, delivery-only operations are fine. Some restaurants even run separate virtual brands from the same kitchen.

Cafeterias can run in smaller spaces, sometimes as low as 250–300 sq ft depending on layout. Restaurants need more room: proper kitchen, storage, dish-washing, and a real dining area. Authorities focus less on square footage and more on whether the space meets safety logic.

Usually 1–3 weeks for cafeterias and 3–6 weeks for restaurants. The actual timeline depends on drawings, fit-out quality, and whether your site passes the first inspection. Most delays come from fit-out contractors, not the regulators.

Yes. Full ownership. No sponsor requirements. No local partner needed. All three emirates allow 100% foreign ownership for these activities.

Not always at the start, but eventually yes, especially when you grow. Restaurants usually need HACCP from day one because of food volume. Cafeterias may not, but the moment you handle high-risk items, deliveries, or storage expansions, the requirement appears.